Real Madrid Star Suffers Injury Scare Ahead of 2025 Club World Cup

With just two weeks until the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Real Madrid confirmed Thibaut Courtois has suffered a back injury.

The club announced Courtois underwent tests and has been diagnosed with sacroiliitis. The condition, which is an inflammation of the joints, causes stiffness in the back and hips.

The news comes after the keeper did not feature in Real Madrid’s final two matches of the La Liga season. He now looks set to miss out on Belgium’s upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against North Macedonia on June 6 and Wales on June 9.

Although Real Madrid did not specify the severity of the problem or when Courtois will return, ESPN report the 33-year-old will likely be available for the start of this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup. Courtois will have over two weeks to recover before Los Blancos kick off their tournament against Al Hilal on June 18.

The newly expanded competition is Real Madrid’s first chance to impress under new manager, Xabi Alonso. The Spaniard replaced Carlo Ancelotti at the biggest club in the world following a disappointing 2024–25 season that ended without a major trophy.

Alonso will hope to have his starting keeper between the posts in the United States. With defensive reinforcements set to make their Real Madrid debuts during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, including Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, Courtois would complete Los Blancos’ new and improved XI.

The Belgian was forced to play with a makeshift backline in front of him for most of Real Madrid’s 2024–25 season. ACL injuries to Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão, as well as a long-term hamstring injury to Ferland Mendy, left Ancelotti with a defense featuring natural midfielders Fede Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni, along with Lucas Vázquez.

Should Courtois be unable to feature from the start of this summer's FIFA Club World Cup, Alonso will instead have to rely on Andriy Lunin.

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